Americans currently live in a fast-paced society that can make it hard to meet all family, work, financial and social obligations. Residents in Sioux Falls are not immune from this hectic lifestyle, and it can often result in a lot of stress. Stress has become very common and can affect both the mental and physical well-being of a person. The 2023 Stress in America Survey by the American Psychological Society found that almost 25% of people rate their stress as an 8 or higher on a scale of 1 through 10. Stress can affect people of all ages, including children. Frequent technology usage, especially social media, can play a role in increasing stress as the brain is constantly being stimulated and doesn’t have a chance to relax. Reducing stress can help a person to be both physically and mentally healthier.
How Does Stress Affect Our Bodies?
Stress is caused by events or activities that cause the body to respond to a challenge. Small amounts of stress can be healthy and beneficial. An example of this could be exercise causing an increase of strength and muscle gain. Our body reacts to stress by releasing hormones, such as cortisol, to help meet an immediate demand. Cortisol affects many functions of the body such as blood sugar balance, blood pressure, digestion and the immune system. If stress, and therefore cortisol, levels remain high there can be a negative effect on the body. This could include things like high blood pressure, constipation, tight muscles, too high of blood sugar levels and difficulty sleeping. In my chiropractic office I often see patients have neck pain, tight shoulders and headaches that may be attributed to stress.
Sioux Falls Lifestyle and Diet Ideas to Lower Stress
Our bodies are not designed to be constantly bombarded with stress so here are some options to try to help you to manage your stress levels. Make sure that you take breaks from work. This may include ideas such taking a vacation or even simply making sure to not check your work email once you are done with your shift for the day. Also, if you an avid social media user, try to take a break of a week or even a month in which you don’t check or post to social media. After this break assess how you feel as compared to when constantly using social media. Eating a healthy diet that avoids processed foods and gets plenty of Omega 3 fatty acids (fish, flax and walnuts are some foods to consider) may also help your body to deal with stress.
Exercise, Counseling and Chiropractic May Help
Another way to try to manage stress is to get regular exercise. Exercising 3-5 times per week can help your body to deal with stress better and may help to keep hormones balanced. Another idea to try activities such mediation or yoga to help to calm your mind. If you struggle with anxiety or other mental health symptoms, I would recommend taking to a mental health therapist to help you to address your needs. If you have headaches, pain or tight muscles that you attribute to stress, chiropractic care may be able to help you to feel better. If you are in the Sioux Falls area and are looking for chiropractic care, please contact our office to schedule an appointment.